I went to the American English Institute in Mexico City, Mexico to teach English. But I had forgotten my key. I found Ferdinand (one of my English students) and another student waiting outside the door. I had recently met the other student when he had sat in on my class one day when his teacher hadn't shown up. Since I knew the secretary would soon arrive, I began the class outside the door with them. They began reading from the book.

When the secretary finally arrived, we were already inside the classroom. I suddenly remembered that it was Monday and that I wasn't supposed to teach today because I was quitting. I then asked the secretary about the check I was supposed to receive from my last nine days of work. She said I would have to talk to a Mr. Chow Chow later.

I walked into a classroom to wait. Another young fellow who was obviously going to be the new teacher to replace me, showed up and walked to the front of the class. The room filled up with about 20 students and I noticed some attractive females among them.

I stood to the side and listened to the new teacher. Ferdinand seemed disconcerted at first since I wasn't teaching. I went up to him and, speaking in Spanish, told him I was quitting and that the fellow in front was the new teacher. Ferdinand still didn't seem relieved and finally he and the other student I had been teaching rose and left. The secretary seemed a little upset by that and made a mark in her book. Soon three or four other fellows also left.

I listened to the teacher. He was a young fellow about my age. He was speaking so fast I could hardly understand what he was saying. He began to explain the meaning of the word "centennial." He said it derived from a Latin word which meant "to think." I wanted to tell him that he was wrong, and that the word was a cognate of the Spanish word "cien" which meant "one hundred." But I thought it would be best to refrain from speaking.

Finally, exasperated with waiting, I went again to the secretary and asked her about my check. She arose and accompanied me through a corridor to a balcony. We were on the second story and overlooked an inner court yard. We could see another building across the yard. She yelled at someone at a window on the other side and received an answer. She then walked down the stairs and I followed at her heels.

I suddenly found myself on an ocean beach which seemed to be somewhere in Guatemala. I walked along and thought how I would henceforth live more frugally and would even begin washing my own clothes. I ran along the beach. I came to a green place where thistles were growing. I saw an open area of sand by the water and headed toward it. The water lay to my left and washed up over my feet as I walked. To my right lay a long-stretching cluster of large, tall, white flowers. I became entranced with their beauty and wondered what kind of flowers they were. They had three or five snow-white petals and yellow pistols and stamens inside. They were fantastic.

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